John more



PATIMED JAN 31 1871 1 111 4 6 8 pig/ In venlop,

niiet -aua JOHN MORE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

Letters Patent No. 111,468, dated January 31, 1871.

IMPROVEMENT IN SLlDlNG-DOORS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent andmakng part of thesame.

Duke 85 More, builders, New York city, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in the Means of Hanging and Operating Sliding-Doors;and I do 1hereby declare that the following is a full and exactdescription thereof. Y

My invention, or some part-s thereof, may be used with advantage in allsituations where sliding-doos are employed, whether double or single,but'it is more cspecially intended for double sliding-doors, opening byseparating and sliding in opposite directions from a central'linc, andwhere, as in parlors, .the length or height of the door ot' each part isgreat, relatively, to its breadth.

My doors are hung on sheaves or pulleys traversing on a rail extendingacross overhead and concealed 'in the casing. 4

This general arrangement has been commombut I provide means forovercoming several diiiicult-ies which have heretofore attended thisclass of work.

I will first proceed to describe what I consider the best means ofcarrying out my invention, and will afterward designate the points whichI believe to be new therein.

The accompanying drawing forms a part of this specification.

Figure l is a side elevation of the doors andof the frame-work, with aportion of the fixed framing or casing removed, to show the arrangementof thesupporting-bar, the sheaves, springs, adjusting means, lc.

Figure 2 is a horizontal section on the line S S, in fig. 1. The doorsand the casing are represented thicker than will be generallyconstructed in practico.

Figures 3 to S represent details and modifications on a larger scale.

Figure 3 is aside elevation representing a portion of the door and theadjacent parts, with the door in the extreme Withdrawn position. Thatisto say, it represents the upper back corner of the door, and thecorresponding lportion of the supporting-inn' or way, with the upper endof a piece which serves the double function ot' holding up the way, andcushioning or gently stopping the door when it is slid back.

Figure 4 is a vertical section on several different planes. The partsarerseetioned so as to show the exact details of construction to as fullan extent as possible in a single figure. lheupper por-tion is in theplane of a central bolt, (seen also in ifnlfand several other.figur-es.) N ext below this the plane changes, and is taken through oneof the sheaves. Afterward the planechanges again twice. 'lhe change ofplanois indicated in dotted lines in iig. 3.

The ligure, g. 4, represents thechief peculiarities both at the top andbottom ofthedoor.

Figure 5 represents the upper front corners 0f both parts of the door,or of both the doors with the adja' cent portion of the supportingway.In this figure the doors are represented as nearly closed.

'Figure 6 represents the front upper corner of one of the doors insection. It shows the means which I propose to employ vfor connectingthe sheaves and their housings to the door, to avoid the necessity forany external metal to appear on the face of the door.

Figure 'l' is a cross-section corresponding to fig. 6. In figs. 5 and 6the supporting-way is represented as hollow.

Figure 8 is a horizontal section of a small portion on a higher plane.It represents a section alongthe center oi' the supporting-bar or way onwhich the door is carried.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all theiigures. Y

A is the vfixed frame-work and casing, which surrounds the door andconceals-the sheaves, supportingway, spring-strut, side sheaves, 85e.,,so that my doors shall present only the appearance of the approvedconstructions of such doors.

B D are the doors or the parts which, moving independently andseparating and drawing together as r quired, form the double door.

Gis a central bolt, which forms a stopto prevent either part, B or D,from being moved out too far, and also aids in supporting the way.

'lhe doors are recessed'to match against the bolt C, or rather againstthcsurrounding thimble, c, as represented in iig. 5.

ll is a rail or stout bar, of rolled iron or othersnitable material,which forms the way upon which the sheaves run.

Itis supported atthe center by the bolt C, and at each end by curvedspring-struts, Gr* G2, in the manner indicated in ligs. l, 2, and 3.

The connection oi' eachfend of the way E to the adjacent surface ofthestrut is simple, and will he readily understood 'from the'gure.

'lhe connection of the curved struts Gl l(Seite the other parts at thebase is peculiar, and allows of delicate adjustment The weight issupported on the rounded head of a stout screw, gl g2, the thread ofwhich takes in a nut set in the wood, as indicated in dotted lines.

\Vhen it is found that the way is a little settled at either end, aprovision, not represented, being made ,in the easing for obtainingaccess to these parts, the

screw g or gz is turned suiciently to raise the strut with itsconnections.

An opposite adjustment will of course lower the way at either end.

"number desired, on each portion of'. the door.

C. I adjust this by ordinary means, making a new hole therefor, orelongating the old hole upward, and blocking up the bolt firmly, as willbe obvious'.

I guide the bottom edge of' the doors by small anti. friction pulleys; lcan provide these either on the door or on the casing, or both. They aremounted on vertical axes, and adapted to turn freely. Their forni may beplain cylindrical, or a little swelled or barrelshaped.

Fig. 4 shows a set of these rollers on the door, and also acorresponding set on the casing.

The rollers 'on the casing are marked H H, and they work against acorresponding bar or plate of brass, or other suitable material, ou thedoor, marked I.

The set of` rollers carried on the door is marked h h. They work againsta corresponding bar or plate of' iron, or other suitable material, outhe interior of the casing, marked c'.

. In figs. 1 and 2 the rollers on the casing alone are represented, andin these figures the bar I on the door is omitted.

As either door is moved out and in the rollers H hy serve to guide thedoor without allowing it to rub against the casing. They do not aid insupporting but only in guiding the door laterally.

There are two sets of sheaves at the top, both mountedon the parts of'the door and traveling out and in therewith.

The upper set runs on the top of the way and'snpy ports the weight ofthe door.

' The under set performs an ii'nportant function which becomes mol'eimportant in proportion as the height of the door is increased and itswidth narrowed.

It serves to prevent the door from assuming an inclined position; thatis, when the pressure of" the hand orany other force is applied ncar thebase of' the front edge of' the door to push it suddenly back, theinert-ia of the mass ofthe door above, and vthe friction which mayattend the operation of the sheaves or any other part near the top byholding back the upper portion of the door, and allowing the bottomalone to be pushed back, may throw up the back sheave -and incline thewhole door into a cornerwise and jammed position.

This is always liable to occur with doors as ordinarily mounted, and isparticularly observable on the doors of' horse-cars, and in any positionwhere a high and narrow door is employed, running on rollers or sheavesat the top.

My lower-set of sheaves traverses in contact with the lower side of theway or supporting-bar E, and resists any tendency' of either the frontor back edge of the door to rise.

Between the two sets of' sheaves the door is rigidly held in itsperfectly upright position, and moves out and in standing exactlynpright.` i

I'have marked the sheaves in the upper series M M, and .the sheaves inthe lower series NVN.

They are mounted on the several pivots or central bolts m ai., which aresupported in the straps P, fixed on the upper portion 4of' the door. Ihave represented two of' these straps on each door, one at the frontupper corner, and the other' at the back upper corner, but there 'may bethree of` these straps, or any other Each of the straps carries two ofthe sheaves; that is, one sheave in the upper series'and one sheave inthe lower series. l

1When the door is moved violently back it is liable to strike with greatforce, so as to injure itself or lthe part against which it strikes.Sometimes the plastering of the adjacent parts of the room on one sideor both sides ofthe door is severely strained and cracked by therepeated concussions due to this cause. It is customary to employ stops,but such stops are rigid and unyieldlng. They have been solid masses ofwood or metal.

l stop my doors gently and elastically by causing them' tostrikeaga-inst the curved sides of the struts before described; that is tosay, the part B of the door, when it moves back to its full extent,strikes the rounded face or side ofthe strut Gl, and, by straighteningit a little, receives an elastic resistance, and is gently stopped.

The same effect is produced by the strut Gr2 against the part D of thedoor when it is moved back.

I sometimes term these parts G 'G2 supportingposts or spring bars, theformer referring entirely to the function of' supporting and-adjustingthe height of the way, and the latter referring alone to their f'unctionof' gently arresting the door. They perform both functions.

Although I have above called them curved struts, suggesting the idea ofboth f'unctions'in the single term, it will be obvious that it is not anessential rcquisite that they shall be curved; thus, for example, if thestruts Grl G2 were st aight, with freedom to bend back in the middle,and the striking-edge of the door were rounded, an effect correspondingvery nearly with that ofthe curved form of the strut is produced. So,also, an analogous effect may be produced by simply glueing, screwing,or otherwise fixing a block or mass of wood or other suitable materialat or near the middle ofthe height either of' the strut G1 `2 or of theedge of the door. These and various other modifications may be made byany good mechanic. I prefer to cut out a portion ofthe thickness ofeachstizut, as represented, so as to increaseits yielding qualities, butthis maynot be absolutely necessary under all'cireuinstances, especiallywith very heavy doors, as in barns, ware-houses, depots, and the like.

To more conveniently insert the bar E, I make it in two pieces, halvedtogether on the bolt C, as shown in fig. 8.

I have descrihedhow my invention allows for correcting the positions ofthe doors in case of settling or derangement after they arc mounted. Italso aids in fitting the doors in the first place.

My invention allows the doors to be entirely finished andlfittcd in thes'hop. They are put in place by being properly mounted on the bar E. theforms of' straps l the sheaves may be rccved upon the supporting-wayE,`and the latter put in its place,

v temporarily adjusting' it at a height a little above that which it isfinally to assume, and leaving out the central bolt C. Non', supposingwe employ only two straps, l?, on each part of' the door, as hererepresent-ed, we open them to a greater distance apart than the width ofthe part to which they are to bc`fitted. Then the part B, being broughtfrom the shop and placed in the door-frame A, the straps I can be movedinto their proper position andfirmly secured by screws or otherwise,lthe door being meanwhile lifted a little at the bottom by wedges or anyother convenient means. Now this part of' the door is mounted, and onbeing thrust back into its recess in the casing, the straps I), withtheir two sets of sheaves for the other part D, are correspondinglymoved along on the-bar or the way E and separated to receive the otherpart D of the door between them. Both being fitted and shoved back intotheir recesses, the bolt C, with its enveloping thimbles c, are putinplace, and on lowcring the spring-struts G G'ivby the screws g1 g2, asbefore described, l[he doors are nicely and accurately adjusted withoutany planing or other fitting.

I can ornament the head of' the bolt G, 0r can cover it with anyconvenient ornament, as indicated in fig. 7.

I can secure the straps I" by bolts p extending down into the wood andreceiving cross-bolts pl, as represented in'iigs. 6 and 7, audthus avoidpresenting to the eye any of the metal of the straps when the door is inuse.

I can make the bar or way E in a single piece, as indicated in iig. 5and the preceding figures, or in two pieces rolled hollow, as in gs. 6and 7 I esteem it important to mount each of the sheaves Nin slots, asrepresented in figs. 3 and 4, so that they may be ladjusted up and downwithin considerable limits to allow forv variations in thesize of theways upon which they are applied, or for tightening up when they becomeloose from wear or other cause.

Modications may be made in many of the details without departing'fronrthe principle of my invention.- I have indicated the forms which, frommy experience in constructing and iinshin g elegant dwellings, I judgeto bernost expedient in practice. I-introduce a bearing-plate ormetallic plate, R, under the rounded head of each adjusting screw gl g2.I esteem this important in any case where heavy doors are to besupported, and still more so when the building is liable to settle fromtime to time, or become distorted so as to require frequent adjusting ofthe screws. The metal plate affords a broad, firm, and durable bearingfor the screw-head. j

There is a diculty in the way of introducing-the bar E in` thecontinuous length, which my above-described modes of construction andfitting does not entirely overcome. It is highly desirable to -postponethe introduction of the bar or way E and of the corresponding sheavesand straps until after the doorframe and the adjacent plastering isfinished; and it is especially desirable also to be able to removeallthese parts for' repairs or for the substitution of new parts, withoutdestroying any considerable portion of the casing and the adjacent partsin the building.

I accomplish all these ends by making the vbar or way E in two distinctpieces, halved together upon the central bolt C, as represented in tig.8. By this construction, which' is preferably applied with the solidform of the bar, as shown in gs. l to 5, but may be also applied to thehollow construction, I am able to introduce each half separately, and toafterward properly secure them together and to theeentral bolt-G in themiddle.

It will now be understood that the bar or way E, wherever it has beenreferred to in this specitieation, may be made in a single piece, andmay serve-with tolerable success so constructed, but that I esteem itpreferable to make it in two pieces matched together, as shown in iig.8, and that all of the foregoing description may be understood asapplied to such construction. My experiments thus far with my inventionhave all been on, this pieced form of the bar E because of theadvantages thereon attending 1. '.lhe adjustable double series ofsheaves M N, carried on the doors and adapted to work, as represented,on the single way E, when the lower series of' sheaves, N, is adjustableor movable up and down to fit tightly to the way, substantially asherein specified.

2. The elasticstops Grl G2, or either of them, arranged as specified, soas to arrest the motion of the door gently, as set forth. v

3. The adjusting-screws gl g, in combination with the step-plates It,struts Grl G2, and way or rail E, which supports the sliding doors, asspecified.

4. The bar or way E, made in two pieces halved ,together when connectedto the-central bolt C, and

adapted to be adj usted up and down at each end, so as to carry thesheaves which support the double door, and to allow the sheaves and thebar E itself to be easily introduced and removed, in the manner and forthe purposes herein set forth.

In testimony whereof ,I have hereunto set my name in presence. of twosubscribing witnesses.

` JOHN MORE.

Witnesses: l

WM. C. DEY, C.v C. LIVrNGs.

